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F4 tornado in Hopkins County, Kentucky

Tornado November 15, 2005 · Hopkins County, Kentucky

F4
Rating
15.0 mi
Path length
800 yd
Path width
40
Injuries
$31.0M
Damage as recorded
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

The path drawn at its surveyed width of 800 yards (0.45 mi) — zoom in and the swath grows to true scale. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What F4 means. This tornado was rated on Fujita’s original scale, used until 2007. F4 meant devastating damage: well-built houses levelled; the scale paired it with winds of 207–260 mph, figures later judged too high, especially toward the top of the scale, and revised downward in the Enhanced Fujita scale. Ratings then, as now, came from the damage.

What the National Weather Service wrote

This violent tornado reached its peak intensity on the north side of Earlington, near the beginning of its track. Peak winds there were estimated near 220 MPH. Several houses in this area, on either side of U.S. Highway 41, were levelled. Large oak trees were reduced to nubs, and the ground was scoured to bare dirt. A steel beam was carried some distance and became wedged against trees and other debris. 24 people were treated for injuries at a local hospital, and three of the injuries were critical. About 151 homes and buildings were destroyed, 67 suffered major damage, and 303 received minor damage. Damage indications, as well as eyewitness accounts, indicate the occurrence of multiple vortices near Earlington. The tornado continued northeast and weakened, crossing the Pennyrile Parkway at mile marker 41. The tornado lifted less than a mile from the Mclean County border. The average path width was 525 yards. The tornado was close to a half mile wide in places.

Began near Earlington (37.2500, -87.5333).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 5479575. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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